16 October 2012 – On this World Food Day, FIAN International, a human rights organization, asks the public to take a stand for the rights of Mozambican peasants experiencing right to food violations at the hands of European investors.

Mozambique is one of the poorest countries of the world. Around 35 % of Mozambican households are chronically food insecure and 46 % of all children below 5 years are malnourished.

In order to boost development, the Mozambican government and donors have been actively promoting large-scale private investment in tree plantations. According to recent figures, six companies are operating on a total project area of 550,000 hectares (ha).

Chikweti Forests, a subsidiary of Global Solidarity Forest Fund (GSFF), a Sweden-based investment fund, has established tree plantations on 13,000 ha in Niassa province.

While Chikweti announced that it would provide jobs, the jobs created are scarce, instable and not well paid, and thus do not provide alternative sources of livelihood, according to FIAN International’s report ‘The human rights impacts of tree plantations in Niassa province, Mozambique.’

"Peasant communities in the area have seen their access to land for food production diminished and fear that the environmental consequences of the fast growing pine and eucalyptus trees, present a growing threat to water supplies, soil conditions and biodiversity," said Philip Seufert, of FIAN International and author of the report

As small-scale agriculture is the main source of livelihood in the region, these factors have a huge impact on the rural population and put peasants at risk of food insecurity. Their rights to adequate food and water, as recognized by the United Nations and Mozambican law, are violated.

"All are affected, but especially women," said Rita João Rezuane, a representative of the peasants. "They perform all the work in the house and in the fields, and they are responsible for cooking and fetching water. Because the plantations are surrounded by fences, which the people are not allowed to cross, the women must walk all around them to fetch fire wood and, in the future, water. They have to travel much longer distances."

An investigation by the Mozambican government in 2010 confirmed the complaints of the local population. However, so far, no adequate and effective measures have been taken.

Even though the main responsibility for the violations of the right to food of the affected people lies with the Mozambican state, Sweden carries responsibilities as well. The Mozambican peasant organization, UNAC, which supports the affected communities, has therefore requested FIAN to address the Swedish government.

A delegation of three representatives of Mozambican peasants’ organizations recently toured Europe, meeting with politicians, investors and journalists to alert them to the situation in Niassa and articulate their demands.

"It was good to deliver our message in person," said Júlio Dos Santos Pêssigo, a peasant member of the delegation. "It is now extremely crucial for the public to let the Swedish authorities know that they support us, the peasants, in our quest to defend our right to food by holding them accountable for the actions of Chikweti Forests."

More information:

FIAN International calls on the public to support the Mozambican peasants’ struggle for their rights to land and food by asking the Swedish foreign ministry, the ministry for trade and the ministry for international development cooperation:
– for a human rights impact assessment of the forest policy promoted by the Swedish development aid in Mozambique, and the Chikweti project in particular;
– for the adoption of effective measures to ensure cessation of violations of the right to food and land in Niassa, including the regulation of the GSFF; and
– for the introduction of a monitoring mechanisms to track companies’ activities and to receive complaints from local communities and human rights defenders.

Download the report ‘The human rights impacts of tree plantations in Niassa province, Mozambique’

Participate in the Urgent Action by sending an email to the Swedish government here.